Releasably engageable side release buckle members are known generally and used widely for fastening one or more free ends of strap, or web, in an ever increasing range of applications including cargo and personnel restraints, personal floatation devices, and outerwear, among other applications.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,279, issued on Jun. 29, 1993, entitled "Buckle Having Increased Holding Power When Under Load" discloses a typical side release buckle having a female receptacle member with an interior channel for receiving resilient arms of a male latch member. The resilient arms include a shoulder or other portion cooperatively engageable with corresponding engagement surfaces of the female receptacle member when inserted into the channel thereof. The resilient arms of the male member are accessible through apertures in opposing sides of the female member, and the arms are flexible inwardly toward each other so as to disengage the shoulders thereof from the engagement surfaces of the female member, thereby releasing and separating the male and female members.
The present invention is drawn toward advancements in the art of buckle members, and more particularly to novel improvements in side release buckles.